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Description of the Environment <br /> Site Description and Land Use - Rule 2.04.3 <br /> The West Elk Mine (WEM) is located approximately one mile east of the town of Somerset on <br /> Colorado State Highway No. 133. The western permit boundary extends to the outer slopes of <br /> Jumbo Mountain. With this revision, the eastern permit boundary is generally located in the <br /> Raven Gulch and Deep Creek watersheds. The northern extremity of the permit area is <br /> bounded by the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The southern boundary of the permit area <br /> approaches Minnesota Reservoir. The Sanborn Creek and Bear Mines are located just <br /> northwest of the mine facilities. <br /> The general area in which the mine is located is along the western flank of the West Elk <br /> Mountains within the drainage basin of the North Fork of the Gunnison River and is <br /> characterized by a semi-arid environment of steeply sloping mountains covered primarily with <br /> tall shrub vegetation, particularly Gambel oak and Saskatoon serviceberry. The area is <br /> currently used for grazing domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). <br /> Recreational activities such as big game hunting also occur here. <br /> Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and elevations range from 5,900 feet at <br /> Somerset in the valley of the North Fork, to about 8,000 feet in the extreme southeast corner <br /> of the permit area. <br /> The steep slopes of the stream valleys and the instability of the rock strata in the North Fork <br /> drainage basin have contributed to numerous landslides, mud flows and rock falls. These mass <br /> wasting features have been mapped by W.R. Junge of the Colorado Geological Survey and <br /> published as an open file report, entitled "Geologic Hazards, North Fork Gunnison River <br /> Valley, Delta and Gunnison Counties, Colorado." <br /> The primary land uses within the permit area are characterized as rangeland and woodland <br /> supporting big game (deer and elk) and livestock (cattle and sheep). Portions of the lease area <br /> are within the boundaries of Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. <br /> Cultural and Historic Resources - Rule 2.04.4 and 2.05.6(4) <br /> Cultural and historic resources are discussed in Section 2.04.4 of the permit document. <br /> Records from the Historic Buildings and Sites file of the Colorado Historical Society and the <br /> Archaeological Survey file of the Office of the State Archaeologist were reviewed for pre- <br /> viously recorded sites. No evidence was found indicating the existence of known sites in the <br /> vicinity of the mine. An archaeological reconnaissance was also conducted. Field studies, <br /> laboratory operations, and report preparation were completed by an archaeological team from <br /> Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. This report can be found in Exhibit 10 of the <br /> permit document. No sites were found as a result of the field study. <br /> Additional surveys for Jumbo Mountain were completed by Western Cultural Resource <br /> Management, Inc. (WCRM, Inc.) during October and November 1993. Map 7A shows the <br /> 7 <br />